Apple Just Unlocked A Big Mystery About How The App Store Works (AAPL)

Monday

Sep 1, 2014 at 9:01 AM

Jack Dutton

But Apple published a report last week that unlocked some of the mystery behind how the App Store operates. It outlined the main reasons why apps were rejected from its store.

That doesn't sound like much but Apple is notoriously tight-lipped about the App Store. For example, Apple doesn't offer a full disclosure on what variables it uses to compile its app charts. Even some of Apple's own employees regard the App Store as an "impenetrable jungle."

Earlier this month, Apple told CNBC that its App Store revenue figures for July were record-setting. Distimo estimates that Apple's app revenues are about $870 million per month, and that the App Store has a 62% share of the market.

The Apple App Store offers over 1.2 million different apps to choose from as of June 2014. So even knowing a little bit more information about how the App Store works can have huge consequences for app makers.

Some of the criteria in which rejections of newly developed apps from being made available in the app store were based upon included:

Crashes and bugs - Developers are asked to thoroughly check their apps for bugs before submitting them to Apple to be approved to be made available in its store.
Broken links - All the links in the app must work properly.
Placeholder content - Apps with placeholder content will not be approved by Apple.
Incomplete information - All of the details required to review the developer's app must be entered into the App Review Information section of iTunes Connect.
Substandard user interface - Interfaces must be user friendly, clean and refined.
Repeated submission of other apps - Submitting several apps at a time slows down the app review process and may lead to rejection of apps.
Not enough lasting value - Developers must submit apps that appeal to a wide enough audience, and apps that have good functionality and content.
Inaccurate descriptions - App descriptions must clearly convey the app's functionality and purpose. If they don't, they risk being rejected.

Along with the criteria, Apple also published some data showing how common the reasons for rejection were.

The No.1 single problem for apps being rejected? "More information needed."

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